2006 Mas de Bressades Cuvée Tradition Rouge, Costières de Nîmes
Full Price $23.00 / Wine of the Week Price $20.50 / Dozen Unit Price $19.50

A firm Europa favourite, back after a short absense! When it comes to drinkability and affordability, this wine is very hard to beat. "Another excellent estate is Mas des Bressades. Readers cannot ask for more hedonistic, flavorful, mouth-filling, juicy wines than these efforts from Mas des Bressades, an estate that consistently makes the pages of my Best Buy reports." Robert Parker

A blend of Shiraz and Grenache, this wine has a handsome, intense red colour. The nose offers a bouquet of ripe fruit marked by scents of havana tobacco and a range of spices, opening out nicely as it matures. A lovely attack and nice clean impression on the palate, with red cherries, dried herbs and earthy notes. A concentrated, tasty wine with lively, long-lasting aromas.

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Feathers & Fur Game Night

Our Game Night at Sarti promises to be one of the highlights of the year. Firstly, because we are in the hands of chef Riccardo Momesso, and secondly, because we have a line-up of absolutely stunning Pinot Noirs.

Riccardo Momesso, featured in an article in this month's Vogue magazine, has firmly established himself as one of Melbourne's most exciting and innovative chefs. Since childhood he has been passionate about food, something his Italian upbringing installed and fervently kept growing in him. Lucky for us, this passion reaches its peak when it comes to game - being an avid hunter himself, Riccardo has an exquisite touch with meats like rabbit, venison and pheasant (all of which are on the menu) and his style of cooking and flavour combinations are nothing short of breathtaking. Bob Hart (Herald Sun, 21 June 2008) had the following to say: "Sarti has always been good: a lively haunt offering stylish and authentic Italian food. But since Italian maestro Riccardo Momesso took charge of the stoves and became a partner in the business a year ago, Sarti has gone from very good to sensational. Dinner last week, my first since Momesso arrived, was as dazzling as any Italian meal I have eaten in a decade." Also, to read John Lethean's (The Age) impressive review on Sarti, please click here

A little more information on the some of the wines we will be drinking: Allies, situated in the Mornington Peninsula, is a collaboration between David Chapman and Barney Flanders, both of whom will be present on the night to tell us a bit more about their wines. James Halliday, (The Australian 16 Feb 08) says: "Allies is one of the most impressive new wineries of the 1000-plus such ventures I have encountered over the past five years." The pair makes a beautiful Mornington Pinot; a wine which displays intense flavours and complexity, without compromising on elegance and subtlety. Another great Aussie Pinot we'll show is the Lance's Vineyard Yarra Valley Pinot from winery, Punch. James Lance (who'll also attend the dinner) and his wife Claire started their own label, Punch, in 2005, and it has immediately found favour with critics and drinkers alike. In his newest (2008) Wine Companion, James Halliday gives their 2005 Pinot Noir a 97 point-rating, saying it has "Excellent pinot varietal flavour from the first moment to the last". Good stuff.

We will add to the evening with a couple of red Burgundies to match our Australian counter-parts, after all we are European specialists

Sarti is one of Melbourne's "must do" restaurants, and they are pulling out all the stops for us - call now to book your place for this once-off experience.

Sarti, 6 Russell Place, $140pp
27th August 2008, 7pm
Bookings essential

Domaine du Coulet, Cornas

Cornas, meaning 'burnt earth' in Celtic, is famous for its rich, robust and dense wines. Both Louis XV and Cardinal Richelieu are said to have been admirers. The most southerly of the Northern Rhône red wine appellations, Cornas is tiny. It has just 94 ha of vines, which makes it smaller than several single estates in Bordeaux. The granitic south/southeast-facing slopes are planted with just one grape, Syrah.

Under the wakeful eye of Mathieu Barret, Domaine du Coulet is taking big strides. Barret is a young star who runs his 4 hectares of vineyards organically, the only one to do so in Cornas, and is in the process of taking a step further still into Biodymamics. He owns three parcels of south and southeast exposed vines in the Arlettes, Mazards and Reynards that average 30 years old.

2006 Cornas "Brise Cailloux" / Shelf Price $90.50 / Offer Price $81.50
The earlier accessible cuvée of the three, the "Brise Caillou" is made with grapes that come from young vines on slopes and from a parcel of vines at the foot of the slopes. "Slightly meaty but also cedary oak or is that cedary herbaceous fruit? Very peppery Syrah, especially on the palate. Papery fine chalky tannins but lots of them, fresh and lingering." Julia Harding MW (www.jancisrobinson.com)

2005 Cornas "Les Terrasses du Serre" / Shelf Price $152.00 / Offer Price $137.00 (Limited availability)
A blend of the high and low slopes of Arlettes, Mazards and Reynards, Mathieu Barret now uses fewer stalks in the fermentation process for this wine, employing only 10-15% whole bunches and adds the press wine from Brise Caillou and Billes Noires. “The 2006 Cornas Les Terrasses du Serre comes from 35-year-old vines and sees no new oak. 'A classic, traditional expression of Cornas,' said Barret. The wine comes across like a young vintage of Cornas from A. Clape—loaded with dark fig and tar notes—but with far more refined tannins.” Wine Spectator 30th October 2007

2005 Cornas "Billes Noires" / Shelf Price $186.00 / Offer Price $167.50 (Very limited availability)
“The 2006 Cornas Billes Noires, which includes some 80-year-old vines, is packed with dark fig and currant fruit, with a powerfully built tannic structure that manages to stay ultraracy, pumping out sweet tapenade and licorice notes on the finish.”  Wine Spectator 30th October 2007

"Aromatic though dark peppery violet laced black fruit. Rich and inviting. Roasted potato skins. Dry, fine, firm and bags of backbone but also plenty of flesh to fill it out. A big savoury mouthful but with attractive aromatic overlay and respectable freshness." Julia Harding MW

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Price correction:

Our apologies: The price of the William Downie Pinot Noir in last week's newsletter was incorrect. To make amends for the error, we are extending the offer by a week. See below for correct pricing.

2007 William Downie Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley
Shelf Price $55.00 / Offer Price $50.00
William Downie was the winemaker at De Bortoli, dedicated solely to the production of their top class Pinot Noirs. He has since left to focus on wines produced under his own name (with a striking label designed by artist Reg Mombassa) - all Pinot Noir of course! Grapes are bought in from carefully selected older vineyards, and in the winery the use of pumps, filtration and fining is avoided. The Burgundian influence in his wine is evident, and hardly suprising since he spends 6 months a year making wine in Burgundy. This wine is stylish, elegant and brimming with pure Pinot-flavours.

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